Do All Drug Rehabs Accept Teens?

Do all drug rehabs accept teens? No, many do not accept teens. However, there are a variety of treatment programs for adolescent substance abuse, and when seeking help for a loved one, it is important that the treatment program that you choose suits their individual needs. One of the biggest obstacles in treating teenaged drug users is to simply get them to admit there is a problem. Adolescents typically harbor deep feelings of denial, in part because they've only been using for a couple of years - they haven't yet lost a spouse or a career because of addiction.

The most important step is for the addicted teen to enter treatment. An addiction intervention may be necessary to convince the adolescent that there's a problem. Because denial is so prevalent in these addicts, concerned parents in some cases may have to force their child to seek help - threatening, for example, to kick them out of the family house if that doesn't happen. Did you buy your son or daughter a new car for their 16th birthday? Threaten to take the keys back. You may be saving your child's life.

Teens have enough to deal with during the formative years of adolescence, and when they compound these difficulties with substance abuse, it's not surprising that they can get in over their heads. Teen treatment requirements are unique and must be age appropriate; teens do very poorly in any form of general adult rehab.

But when given the opportunity to conquer their problems in a treatment facility purposefully designed for teen treatment, that combines the essential participation of the family with effective therapies; and one that treats adolescent developmental concerns as an integral aspect of the healing process; teens respond very well and gain a great opportunity to get their lives full of promise back on the right track.

Do all drug rehabs accept teens? Generally no, this is why it is important to understand what takes place in teen drug rehabs. These treatment programs are designed to teach teens the skills that will help them to maintain their recovery and to sustain a drug-free lifestyle. Treatment for adolescent substance abuse usually includes:

Detoxification: Detoxification is for adolescents who need safe, medically supervised relief from withdrawal symptoms when they first enter a rehabilitation program.
Residential Rehabilitation: Residential rehabilitation is for teens who cannot stop using drugs without 24 hour supervision. Teens in residential rehab are individuals who have continued to use despite knowledge of the risks and consequences, or have continued to use despite previous attempts to stop. In a residential rehab program, these teens can learn and practice new skills that will help them in recovery. Residential programs may include individual and group therapy, 12-step programs, and relapse prevention.
Intensive Outpatient Program: Intensive outpatient programs are for teens who have committed to staying drug free, but need treatment after school to prevent use and promote recovery. These programs can also include adolescents who have already completed residential treatment, but feel that they need further support in the transition back into daily life. These programs usually rely on support from friends and family.
Aftercare/continuing care: These programs are a very important part of recovery, and help adolescents to maintain a drug free lifestyle. These programs usually include family support groups, or alumni support groups of people who have also completed a treatment program to provide support for the adolescent in recovery.

Do all drug rehabs accept teens? Teens recover best with other teens. Group therapy gives a voice to teens feeling silenced, and through a collective exploration of the trails of adolescence and addiction, shared strategies to success are learned, and comfort taken from the knowledge of shared pains and difficulties. Working with a therapist also empowers teens to retake control over their lives and actions, and through intensive therapy, teens learn why they act and feel as they do, and how they can choose do better.